a blog about everything related to youth raising French angora rabbits

Black Diamond Kits

Sage's Kits, Nine Weeks Old

Monday, April 20, 2015

Bottle Feeding the Runts

In a litter of eleven kits, there are three runts, all REWs. Normally, this would not be a problem. We bred two other does at the same time with Snowball, but they did not produce litters. So the three runts, which we probably would have been able to put with Honey or Duchess, now have to struggle to survive. We are doing what we can to help them.

They are not getting much of their mother's milk because the bigger ones push them away. So we are bottle feeding them. The formula we use is Ultra Start Multi colostrum supplement for newborn animals. We have used it on other runts or struggling rabbits and they have all survived. Fresh goat milk would be better for them, but our goats aren't milking yet.

The smallest runt is not looking very good. He is really struggling. This is why rabbits have large litters. Some just won't make it, for whatever reason.

Search This Blog

About Us

Contact Us

If you are interested in a rabbit or if you have questions, drop us a line at blackdiamondbunnies@gmail.com.

Please, please, please email us with questions, or post them on the blog. We really want to be sure our rabbits are going to good homes with responsible owners ready to care for them. While all of our customers thus far have been very nice people who we have every confidence are providing the best of care for their rabbits, we have had some concerns with individuals who have expressed interest in our rabbits. If we are not completely comfortable with an individual, we will not sell you a rabbit. That's just the way it is. One excellent way for us to become comfortable with you and with your level of preparation is for you to ask questions. What we really do not want to see is someone who emails and says, "I'm ready for my rabbit now. When can I come by?"

If you wish to speak with us in person, we'll be happy to give you a call, or provide our phone number through an email. We're sorry, but because this is the Internet, and because we have young women involved, we can't post our phone number or physical address online. We live about 20 minutes north of the 395/Interstate 80 junction in Reno.

1970's Soviet Propaganda Poster, Rabbit Style

This photo graced the top of the blog for several months. Why do I call it a Soviet propaganda poster? Because it looks just like one. (I got my degree in Russian in 1987. I got to see a whole lot of Soviet propaganda posters in the course of my studies.) Anyway, it's classic Soviet propaganda. There is almost always a lighter individual, centered and higher than the darker individuals who are flanking and lower. The lighter individual looks up and to the side, into the light. The sun's rays smile down, indicating a bright future. We could never have gotten this pose in a million years if we'd been trying.